Alaskans most at risk of dying by suicide are young adults, especially Alaska Native young men. But increasingly, Alaskans age 65 and older are also vulnerable to dying by suicide, according to a report recently released by the Alaska Commission on Aging.
Kris Green, a suicide prevention educator, said elders across all demographics in Alaska are impacted.
"Suicide is a very, very complex situation," she said. "What is activating for one person doesn't bother another person."
Green said isolation can be a huge factor in suicidal thinking and it can be exacerbated by chronic illness, mental illness, or even spiritual crisis.
"They become isolated, and then they become challenged with their thinking and believing that the world would be better without them, that they become so, so dark," she said. "The world becomes so dark with pain that they simply want the pain to go away."
She said people who attempt suicide may not actually want to die, according to accounts from survivors, but they want the emotional pain to stop.
One hundred forty-five elders in Alaska died by suicide between 2020 and 2024. And over the most recent two years, suicide deaths among Alaskans over 75 increased by almost 50%. But experts say since the overall numbers of people impacted are small, the data should be interpreted cautiously. The rates of death were highest for white seniors and those living in the Interior and Southwest regions of the state. Most of the people who died were men, and about 80% of them used a gun.
In response to Alaska's high rates of senior suicides, the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration in 2025 conducted a training for state experts. SAMHSA worked with several states that have higher rates of senior suicides.
Anneliese Hudson, who was there as a suicide prevention program coordinator for the state, said the training outlined risk factors.
"Some Alaska-specific challenges that we identified were geographical isolation, our rural communities, workforce shortages, as well as caregivers shortages," she said.
Hudson said transportation barriers and the high cost of housing are other stressors in Alaska. She said many people think depression is an inevitable part of aging, but it's not and it's treatable. But she said older people may be more likely to experience disease and disability as they age, which can contribute.
Hudson said guns can be an important part of Alaska culture and identity, but reducing quick access to them helps prevent deaths.
"So, having your gun locked up and having the bullets away from the gun," she said. "That way, if you're in a moment of crisis, you can't just pick it up and grab it."
Even slowing that process down by a few minutes can keep someone from acting rashly. Data shows many people who attempt suicide do so impulsively.
Hudson said one of the biggest limitations to better understanding elder suicide deaths is that older age groups are often lumped together. Age categories tend to be 65 plus or even 55 plus.
"That's a huge age range. Whereas all the other age ranges are like you know 15 to 19, 20 to 24," Hudson said.
The state was able to break down the data for the report from the Alaska Commission on Aging into two groups, 65 to 74 and 75 and older, but even that leaves much larger age ranges than for younger people. Hudson said the Alaska Department of Health hopes to continue segmenting data for elders into even smaller ranges in the coming years, which could give the state more insight into risks and protection.
For those close to elders, Green said there are several things to watch out for. Big emotional changes can be a warning sign, even if it's a sudden euphoria, and loved ones can check in with people to ask them about any big changes.
"Rehoming a beloved pet is a very significant sign," Green said. "If they have developed any sort of legal trouble, financial trouble, huge declines or involvement in law enforcement can be an early sign."
She said to also be aware if someone loses someone to divorce or death, is forced to move due to declining health or is drinking more, doing more drugs or displaying other risky behaviors like reckless driving.
She said no matter your role in a person's life, it’s okay to ask if they're thinking of suicide and tell them you're there to help and connect them to support.
Research shows there are evidence-based treatments that can help with depression and thoughts of suicide. You can call the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline for yourself or on behalf of someone else.
